For over 21,000 kilometers across the width of Northern China, the Great Wall stands as an astonishing wonder of the world. For centuries, the Wall has withstood, endured or bounced back from various disasters—natural or manmade. It has fallen and risen and fallen and risen again. It has remained a citadel of strength: a beacon to plan attacks and a fortification to build defenses. It has survived the toils of history and become legend.

With the intentions of making the Wall a muse to inspire legends of the future, adidas brought Wizards’ All-Star guard John Wall to China’s famous monument. Wall visited the Juyongguan section of the Great Wall in mid-August, climbing the structure for promotional events that included debuting his new shoes and watching dunk and three-point contests at a temporary court built up at the Wall.

Yet, despite the history and tradition around him, Wall would’ve probably rather not been there—or at least, hoped to postpone his visit a little. A few weeks before his visit, Wall was among the group of names cut from Team USA for the Basketball World Cup. So, while the rest of the squad headed to Spain for more international basketball, Wall found himself venturing across global borders in a different way, with the summertime visit to China.

After his best season yet, Wall had reason to feel slighted for the cut; finally having a full season where he was blessed with both good health and the right balances of depth, experience and talent in his team, he helped the Wizards take their much awaited big step forward last year. Individually, he averaged career-highs in points (19.3 ppg), assists (8.8 apg—tied for second the League), steals (1.8 spg), free-throw percentage and three-point percentage. He helped carry the Wizards to their first playoff appearance since 2008 and their first series win since 2005. ‘The next’ had become ‘the now.’

Climbing up the Great Wall of China may sometimes feel like climbing up a stairway across heaven. At the tallest dizzying heights, the Wall dips down and climbs back up again. It takes an individual with the heartiest of abilities to handle the grueling ebb and flow of this magnificent structure across the steepest parts of the Wall.

John Wall’s young career has already experienced its highs and lows, and as he aims for even greater heights, he climbs on with the expectation of more swings ahead, swings between elation and disappointment, success and failure. But just like he climbed a part of the Great Wall in China, John Wall has also climbed past mental and physical walls in his career to get near the top: now, he will battle all comers to make sure that he stays there.

SLAM: Have you ever been on the Great Wall before? How was the experience coming up here?

John Wall: This is my first time here. It’s a great experience to have an event up here. It’s very exciting to be at a legendary and traditional spot that everybody would like to visit when they come to China. I’m happy to have the opportunity to come here with my new logo which is coming out in October. It’s nice to be here with Team adidas and have fun.

SLAM: Growing up, could you have imagined that the game of basketball could provide you with some of the most interesting experiences in the world?

JW: Nah, I just thank God every day. It’s truly a blessing that he blessed me with the talents and the abilities that I have. And I have a Mom that was dedicated to making sure that I had a better life. I’m just a humble, hungry kid from Raleigh, NC, living out a dream: trying to be the greatest point guard to ever play the game. It’s fun, it’s exciting. There are a lot of different experiments and journeys you got to take in life, and I like the way that my career and my legacy are going so far.

SLAM: Last year was a major step forward for yourself and your team. Was there a moment when things finally clicked for you?

JW: I give a lot of credit for the two veteran guys we had: Trevor Ariza and Al Harrington. We started off like 2-9 or something like that, and we wanted to come out and have a better start. That’s not the way to start to make a playoff run. We just had a team meeting, and they told me that I had to be the leader of our team. They kinda made me step up in front of everybody. I had to look everybody in the eye and told them what their role was: If you don’t accept it, we don’t want you to be part of the team; if you accept it, you can come along. Ever since that day I knew that I was the main guy on the team and they were going to go as far as I took them.

SLAM: What do you remember most about your first trip to the postseason?

JW: Just walking out on that first night in that game in Chicago. It was very exciting. The fans were going crazy. Every play meant something. Everybody was yelling, screaming. I had never been in the Playoffs, and then to go out there and get the first win, and then winning a playoff series for the first time, it was a great accomplishment for me. My biggest goal now is, I know what it takes to get there. I know how much better I have to get as a player and my goal now is to get to the Finals.

SLAM: How important has it been to add a veteran champion like Paul Pierce to the mix?

JW: He’s just a great veteran and he’ll bring great leadership presence. He knows how to win games. He’s a guy that’s been to the places that I wanna go; winning the NBA Championship. That’s my biggest goal. I’ve made the Playoffs, now my goal is to bring a Championship to DC. That’s something I’ve always preached. That’s what I’m all about.

SLAM: Looking forward to next season…Like we climbed the Wall today, what sort of physical or mental walls do you hope to climb to get better?

JW: Just improve every aspect of my game. I’m trying to be the best point guard of the League next year and lead my team to the Finals. So I need to be taking care of my body, not being injured and definitely being in better shape so I can play both ends of the court like I did in the Playoffs, in the way I was committed on the defensive end, just trying to lead my team and not worry about points or things like that. It lets me know that I can do a lot of other things to help my team win other than just scoring.

SLAM: Do you think that the Wizards have all the components necessary to beat the best teams in the East, like the Cavs, Bulls or Heat?

Wall: I feel like we are all in the same boat right now. Everybody has to build their chemistry up after adding their different pieces. Everybody has their own superstars on their team. I feel like we can be one of the best teams in the East. That’s my goal: to be a leader, as a point guard. If I want to lead my team to the Finals, I have to be the best point guard in the Eastern Conference.

SLAM: Over the last few seasons, how has your mental approach toward the game changed or matured?

Wall: It’s matured a whole lot. Dealing with injuries early on in my career, I began to watch a lot of film. I studied the game while I was injured and watched my team play. I spent time seeing different aspects in the areas where I can improve my team, and help me improve my game, doing little things to get better while I couldn’t play.

SLAM: You’re one of the fastest players in the NBA. Explain the process of decision-making at such speeds: Is it your brain catching up with your body, or your body catching up with your brain?

Wall: With me, it’s more just…I can read defenses early. I know how defenses are guarding me or where the help is coming from. So it’s just about tightening my handle. Sometimes I lose the ball: Guys stick their hand in and poke it away. [I work on] making the read: You might be playing against a great defender that night that could be quicker than you. There are little careless things like jumping in the air and making passes, trying to make the home-run play rather than the basic play. That’s just coming from the time I’ve spent studying film. That’s what I do in my off time, I try to watch basketball 24/7.

SLAM: You were cut from Team USA a few weeks ago. Do you think that you will use that as fuel for next season going out against everybody else?

Wall: It’s funny… Anything bad that has happened to me, like people criticizing me, or getting cut from a team, I’m never gonna say bad about the situation or talk bad about the person. I just put a sticker or note in my phone or my refrigerator, and I use it as motivation. So that motivates me even more, and for the guys who are making it over me, I have to prove them wrong.

In honor of SLAM China’s upcoming issue, we bring you some behind-the-scenes photos from a recent shoot with two of the most popular players in the NBA. Flip through the gallery above and check out some exclusive portraits of reigning MVP, LeBron James, and Lakers legend, Kobe Bryant.

It wasn’t that night in November against the Hornets when he broke Reggie Miller’s franchise record for most three-pointers in a game, going 9-13 from beyond the arc for a career-high 37 points. It wasn’t that game in February versus the Bobcats when he had his first career triple-double. It wasn’t when he heard about his first All-Star selection, when he finished the season with career highs in points, rebounds and assists, or when he was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player. Not his first playoff triple-double on the Hawks, or the dominant series against the Knicks, or the game-tying three in the Conference Finals against the Heat, or his monster dunk on Chris Andersen in Game 2. It wasn’t about his efforts in closely matching MVP LeBron James every step of the way in a classic series.

Nope. When we asked Paul George in Wuhan, China, about his most memorable moment of the amazing, breakout ’12-13 season, he talked about a loss. And to be more precise, the most crushing loss that a player could be handed. It was Game 7 loss in the Eastern Conference Finals, after coming within just one game of the NBA Finals.

“Going through my first Game 7, you know it really brought the spotlight on me,” George said, “And being able to perform in that spotlight—that was a make or break situation—I think that was again another step in the right direction for me.”

But George couldn’t perform in that Game 7 spotlight. He had a game to forget, scoring only 7 points and fouling out early in the fourth quarter. He and his teammates couldn’t find an answer to LeBron and Dwyane Wade, who carried the Heat to a blowout victory and into the Finals. And yet, it wasn’t all his successes over the exceptional past year that he chose to remember, but his failure at the biggest stage yet.

For every rising star in the NBA, there is always the ‘honeymoon’ period, when media and fans give them a benefit of the doubt, when their talents are celebrated and their weaknesses are generally masked or ignored. Think upcoming stars like Kyrie Irving, James Harden or Stephen Curry. Because of their general ‘newness’ into the NBA’s biggest spotlights, many aspects of their game are still a secret to the mainstream. They escape criticism in favor of their potential, and it is only when they hit mainstream popularity, when they begin to find themselves in make-or-break situations at the highest stage, do we hold up a microscope to their shortcomings and mistakes.

Consider the honeymoon over for George. After the end of his third season, one that resulted in a lengthy playoff run, his game is no secret anymore. Sure, Indiana isn’t either one of the NBA’s big national TV markets, or has the worldwide popularity of many of their rivals, but the accelerating talents of George couldn’t be kept hidden any longer. At just a few months past 23, he has already morphed into one of the NBA’s most impressive talents on both ends of the floor. We saw the potential in him, but few predicted he’d get there so soon.

And now, after tasting so much success so quickly, and heartbreak as well at the biggest stage, he plans to come back and do it all over again—only better.

“I love what I do, love getting better, love adding things to my game,” George said. “For the next season, I want work on being a leader, being efficient on the offensive end, and being a dominant scorer in the post. That’s probably what I’m working on most this summer.”

Before he looks forward to the next season, while still basking in the afterglow of the last, George spent a short time as the offseason kicked off in China, aiding the NBA with its NBA Nation events across the country, including towns like Wuhan where SLAM caught up with him. Amidst the basketball carnival resembling an NBA Jam Session and hundreds of fans lining up to catch the very glimpse of him, George spoke about his present trip, and looked ambitiously ahead at a bright future.

“Coming here [to China] is an experience for me too, to see that we have such big fans here in China. I hope I keep coming back here. It’s my first time in Wuhan, but second time in China. Fans here love the game as much as we do.”

Even casual fans know him now, and know all about his team. For the better part of the last decade, no single player from Indiana had brought the franchise to international fame so swiftly. The last time Indiana mattered, they were led by Jermaine O’Neal and Ron Artest. And the last Pacer to gain so much traction was a sharp-shooter by the name of Reggie Miller.

George’s arrival into the team as a rookie back in 2010-11 coincided with the team’s changing fortunes. With every season, they have gone one step further: First Round in 2011, Second Round in 2012, and Conference Finals in 2013. The expectations are now on the team to better themselves once again, and we ask George if his team is up to the challenge.

“Well, I think we answered that by losing to Miami, but at least getting to Game 7 of Conference Finals,” he said, “We’re a young team. It takes understanding to grow together, survive those early scares, and get better. We understand more now what it takes to get there. As a team, we have to strengthen up. All the guys have to get better, all of us have to know our roles. We just have to be a better team. We have played great together all year long already. Like it is with the Spurs, everything has to be in sync.”

Being ‘in sync’ is easier said than done. George’s breakout season was forthcoming, but it was pushed ahead earlier than schedule by Danny Granger’s injury, which forced Lance Stephenson into the starting lineup and George into the role of the primary perimeter scorer for the Pacers. Now, with Granger set to return next season, there will be some questions about how all three will continue to play together in the crowded swingman position.

“We work so well together,” George says, “There are no egos, it’s not about who’s getting shots, who’s getting points. We can all create for ourselves and create for one another. I think [Granger’s return] just opens up everyone’s game. You can’t sag off Danny because he shoots the ball so well. And you can’t pressure up on Lance, because he has the ability to get to the rim. I think all three of us really have a knack for scoring the ball and creating for one another.”

At full strength, George’s teammates will feature two former All-Stars (Roy Hibbert and David West), another former Most Improved Player (Granger) and another athletic young talent in Stephenson. Other teams in the East, like the reloaded Nets, the Knicks, and the healthy Bulls will be in their paths, too, but after getting to the Conference Finals, the Pacers should once more feel like Miami’s toughest challengers in the Eastern Conference. But the honeymoon period for Indiana as a team—just like for George as a player—is over too. Anything less than a return to the Conference Finals will be considered a disappointment.

And it is George who can be the difference between the Pacers being a good team or a great one. His individual improvements have coincided with the team’s rise over the last three years. And they will parallel his rising talents in the future too.

“I’m nowhere close to getting what I want to achieve,” he said, reflecting on his NBA journey so far, “But I think I’m taking the right steps and going in the right direction. I can see myself being an MVP in the League. I think, if I’m not in contention for an MVP award, or leading my team to the Championship, then I think I’d be selling myself short as a player. In the near future, I wanna have the MVP award, be on the Olympic team, be a perennial All-Star, hopefully First-Team All-NBA as well.”

As we hear his plans, they sound at once ambitious and yet completely possible. Ambitious because he’s in a league with the LeBrons, Durants, and Carmelos; a league where there is cut-throat competition facing him every day at the swingman role, including in his own team; and a league where there is even less room for error for the Pacers as a team, as George learned with the lack-luster Game 7 that cost them a Finals berth.

But George lays out his plans with complete assurance, a confidence in his voice that makes the implausible sound achievable. In three years, he has improved dramatically before our very eyes, over-lapping many of his other young contemporaries and gaining the respect of those he idolizes. His quick rise has surprised many in the past—but for a young star who so carefully dissects his past mistakes and meticulously plans out his ambitions ahead—nothing about the future should surprise us anymore.

Dwyane Wade’s red blazer had to match his new fiery-red shoes. It had to be left unbuttoned, to show off just enough of the red and black t-shirt he wore inside. The frame of his sunglasses had to match the colors of his suit. The background had to merge with everything together, and the intensely bright lights that shone on him at the photo shoot in Shanghai had to amplify the superstar that shone brighter than all of them.

He sat down for a different shot, taking a seat that would signify his throne. And he took the look of a man who had reached the top of the scale with fiery competitiveness, and yet, exuded the calm of a philosopher-king, of a man at complete ease, or at peace, with his success.

He folded his palm and pinky finger in to throw up his index, middle, and ring fingers up. The number three. On his throne, one of the Kings of the NBA had just won his third Championship, and now, here he was celebrating the magic number.

That’s the number behind Gilbert Arenas’ newest jersey, right below Chinese characters that probably say his name, but Arenas has to ask his agent to confirm if that’s true. It’s his cover photo shoot for SLAM China and—despite the past few years away from the limelight—he’s as comfortable being a star in front of the camera as he’s ever been. It’s Shanghai in 2013, and it’s far away in space and time from the NBA world in which he once thrived. Like most foreigners in China, he has been assigned a different, Chinese name by the media and the fans: Gi Le. It’s a new country, a new fanbase, brand new teammates.

The injuries still haven’t fully healed, but this year, Arenas was back on the court, back playing big minutes for the Shanghai Sharks and back putting up big numbers. He had big scoring nights—like the time he put up 45 points against Fujian—and streaky scoring nights—like the time he scored 12 points in about two minutes against Guangdong. He averaged close to 10 rebounds a game and he’s had clutch moments, like the time he hit a game-winner on the road against Jiangsu. He was smiling on the court and punking his teammates off of it.

Gilbert Arenas seemed to be Gilbert Arenas once again.

The past five dark years seem forgotten. Here is a man re-embracing the game he loves, re-embracing the fans who love him back, and re-embracing himself. Here is a man re-embracing Zero.

Zero.

The number that, when drawn, begins and ends at the same point, closing in a neat circle. 0. The number that by itself represents no value but in its completion represents a complete 360-degree journey that starts and ends at the same point.

In the NBA, there were All-Star appearances; Playoffs performances; a blog and social media outreach that made him so popular’ hilarious catch-phrases, nicknames and pranks; a dangerous jester who was jovial and happy off the court and a stone-cold monster on it. There was love and there was admiration. There was a rise from the NBA Draft’s second round pick to the NBA’s elite.

And then came the fall.

There were injuries. There was failure. There were losses. There was a gun in a locker room. There was a suspension. There was probation. There was a big contract that was never fulfilled. There was hate and there was criticism.

Arenas’ time with the Wizards was over, and he never seemed to recover from the injuries, the gun-incident with Javaris Crittenton, the suspensions that followed. He started the 2010-11 season by changing his jersey number to ‘9’, hoping for new beginnings.

Over the next few years, he played scarce minutes as a backup for the Orlando Magic and the Memphis Grizzlies. The fire was gone. The ‘Hibachi’ nights—where his shooting hand was so hot that he hilariously compared himself to a Japanese frill—were now few and far between. Gone were the scoring outbursts, the big shoe contracts, and gone was the jovial prankster. Number 9 became Number 1 and then Number 10. A superstar became a journeyman.

So he took a calculated risk. He followed the footsteps of other former NBA All-Stars who itched to continue playing the game they loved at a high level but were denied the opportunities they used to enjoy in their heydays. Like Stephon Marbury and, most recently, Tracy McGrady, Arenas came to China.

He was signed to the Shanghai Sharks, the team owned by the greatest Chinese player of all time, Yao Ming. Before his NBA accomplishments, Yao lead the Sharks to their greatest stretch in the CBA, making the Finals from 2000-2002 and winning a championship in his final year there. The Sharks have been on a steady decline since Yao’s departure, but in Arenas, the former-player-turned-owner brought in the team’s biggest ray of hope since himself.

Things didn’t exactly go as planned. Six minutes into his Shanghai debut against Stephon Marbury’s championship-winning Beijing Ducks, Arenas pulled out with a groin injury. He missed the next nine games, came back in mid-January, but three games later was sidelined with an aggravation to his groin once again. He ended up missing another eight contests, and during this time, he flew back to the US for regenokine treatment shots.

Ever since his return, Arenas has finally been able to string together a long stretch of games, and appeared for the Sharks in the last 11 games of the season. But it may be too little too late; the Sharks played 17 out of their total 32 regular season games without their star player. In a league that relies heavily on the contribution of foreign players, the Sharks stumbled to the bottom of the CBA rankings with only DJ White (now signed to the Celtics) playing consistent minutes all season.

Despite the failings, there seems to be a sense of optimism in the Sharks’ locker room, boosted by Arenas’ late season return and the energy that he has been bringing both on and off the floor. Former NBAers and other foreigners in China usually go one of two ways: there are the types who live alienated to the other Chinese players, using China just as a vehicle to get a shot back into the NBA; and then there are the types who make a concentrated effort to become a part of the culture around them and hint at the possibility of a long-term stay. Stephon Marbury—who has been in China four years and won a championship last season—is amongst the latter. Arenas has taken the early steps to become a part of his team, too, and not just a temporary-foreigner-for-hire.

Arenas has also taken an active role in his relationship with the fans in China. After flirting with numbers 9, 1 and 10, he gave the people what they wanted—Agent Zero—and adopted number 0 for his jersey in Shanghai. Always known to be an entertaining—if mildly controversial—presence on social media, Arenas opened a Weibo account even before he had a guaranteed contract in China, and has since been interacting with his fanbase directly and personally. For one home game in late January, he even bought 20,000 tickets to hand out free for his quickest-responding Weibo followers. He is seen around town in Shanghai regularly, from malls and electronic showrooms to expat-favorite restaurants.

“Not all American players in China can really immerse themselves into the team,” says Simon Cote, an assistant coach with the Sharks. “But Gilbert has been very open-minded about China. He has done a great job in really getting into the mix.”

Cote adds, “We definitely needed him this season, because in China, it’s tough to win with just one American in your team. But even though he couldn’t be on the floor all time, he has helped us in creating a great team atmosphere and given confidence to some of the younger guys.”

The CBA regular season ended in mid-February with the Sharks in the bottom rungs of the final standings. Like most foreigners in China, Arenas’ future here is still uncertain. But he seems to be comfortable in his new life in Shanghai—China’s most cosmopolitan city—and his rejuvenated role as his team’s primary scorer. Coach Cote remains optimistic about his future.

“I think that he wants to come back to the team,” Cote says. “It really depends on who the Head Coach is next season and what system he plays. Foreigners in China get better the longer they stay. It took Stephon Marbury three years to start playing at a championship level. Gilbert hasn’t been here too long, but I think that there is definitely a chance that he can return.

The circle seems to be nearly complete. The number 0 has returned to the back of his jersey. And the character zero has made its way around, a complete 360 degrees, from rise to fall to rise again. He may not be “Hibachi” any longer, but he’s still got a hot hand, is still capable of grilling defenders that stand in his way, still able to be the type of teammate that can bring joy to himself and the players around him.

He is back to Zero.

With a few weeks left in the season, Arenas spoke to SLAM in Shanghai about settling into his new city, forging relationships with his new teammates, his experiences in the CBA, interacting with fans via social networks, and much more.

SLAM: First off: How are you enjoying Shanghai?

Gilbert Arenas: It’s been going good. I’ve finally had a chance to enjoy myself over the last few weeks, and that’s because I’ve been playing. When you’re playing you get to actually go out and enjoy. But before I just stayed in the room—you know the whole time it was like, why have fun if you’re hurt?

SLAM: I’ve heard you have been out and about around town, which is something that foreign players don’t do too often in China. They usually just stay in.

GA: Yup. China is known for electronics and I love electronics. I’m usually at the DVD store. I’m always the mall, at the electronics store, buying video games and stuff like that.

SLAM: Well, it’s great to see you back, and back on the court. What is your role like with the Sharks? Are you looking to facilitate more or do you have a green light on offense?

GA: It’s a green light. I can go out there and basically do what I wanna do. But you still gotta win games and you still gotta help your teammates get better. It’s not about this year because we’re so far from the playoffs; it’s about getting them prepared for next season.

SLAM: I’ve also noticed that your rebound numbers have skyrocketed.

GA: It’s just part of the game. I’m just playing, being at the right place at the right time. I think I had four-to-five double-doubles in a row. I think my guys are boxing out against good big players, so someone has to rebound.

SLAM: You were known to always have a good relationship with your teammates in the NBA. From the looks of it, it seems that trend is continuing in Shanghai, too.

GA: Well, when it’s your teammate, you’re around them more than your family members. You’re there with them on long bus rides, in locker rooms. So if you don’t have a good relationship with them, you’re at a loss. Even though we have that language barrier, we still get our points across.

SLAM: Some jokes need no translation.

GA: Some jokes don’t!

SLAM: It’s been a tough season for the Sharks and for yourself, especially considering your injury layoff. The season is so short, you miss 10 games, and you miss a third of the season. How did you deal with being off the court?

GA: It was rough, man. You know, when I came, it was like everything was rushed. I didn’t get a chance to jell with the players, the trainers, the medical staff. So once I got hurt it was like, What? Am I going back home? Am I getting cut? It was going so fast. Only these last two weeks I’ve gotten to know the players on the court. Off the court I’ve already been hanging out with them and getting to know their vibe.

SLAM: And you did go back home for a while.

GA: Yeah, I went back to get the regenokine shots. It’s what people get to take away pain and help with arthritis. So I took them thinking that it could help my groin—take away the pain, at least. Heal a little bit faster. It basically took away the pain. The injury’s still there, it just took away the pain.

SLAM: Do you feel that there’s been a return to the spring in your step since you got those shots?

GA: Nah, nah. Not even close. With the tear that’s still there, I can’t push off or jump like I want to. I can’t move well side to side. It took away everything I built on over the summer.

SLAM: But it does seem like the joy in your game is back. Being back on the court, back with teammates…

GA: You know, that’s all basketball is. If someone loves something, and you take it away, it’s like, what does he do now? What does someone do? That’s what happened with me in the last couple of years in the NBA when I went to Orlando, and then I got benched. And I was in Memphis and I wasn’t playing. It was just like, why do I wanna keep doing this? So then when I got the chance to come to China to play…OK! As long as I get to play.

SLAM: You’ve always been a step ahead when it comes to your relationship with fans. For the Guangdong game, you gave away 888 tickets to fans in Shanghai. What’s your relationship like with the fans here? How have you embraced Weibo and your fanbase in Shanghai?

GA: Weibo started off difficult because of the language barrier. I can’t read any of the stuff on it in Chinese. So Gu Young [a trainer with the team] taught me basically how to text, change pictures, like the little things, so I can get by. Looking at it, I figured out more of it. I comment back to the fans who say things in English. The fans have been good, they make me wanna go out and play. They have always been positive; I haven’t seen anything negative at all. That’s a relief.

SLAM: But you’ve disappeared on Twitter…

GA: Yeah, yeah. Because you know what? Back in the States, I guess it’s just like, when you’re following somebody…[long pause]…As a fan, what do you expect them to do and say? You don’t want them to be who they are [laughs]. I’m a jokester, so when I was joking on Twitter, it kinda rubbed people the wrong way. And I was like, I didn’t make these up. I’m just letting you know they’re there.

And then they gave high fives to all the players who say like the most obvious textbook answers in the world. It’s like after each game, you already know what they’re going to say. If they lost: “Ahh… Tough loss.” It’s like, come on, how do you guys fall for that? And if they something that they really feel, everyone goes crazy. Like “Oohh! He’s spazzing out!” Now he gotta say sorry for saying something he really felt. It’s like, Oh lord.

SLAM: So do you have long-term plans in China? What do you see for yourself in the future here?

GA: 32 games a year. Maximum 36 minutes. That’s all I need at this point in my career. So as long as China teams want me, I’ll be here.

SLAM: Do you have any plans or hopes to tryout with the NBA again?

GA: Nah! [Shakes head vehemently] Because after this season I can enjoy my family. You know my kids are getting older. Being in the NBA, you don’t really get to enjoy your family life because you’re always on the road, you’re always gone. So, no. After this season will be the first time I’ll get to be with my kids for a long period of time.

SLAM: What’s your relationship like with Yao Ming?

GA: We have our NBA relationship. There are only a few players that you can respect and get along with. So somebody like Yao who’s lovable to everyone—I was going through my jersey collection and I realized that I had six Yao jerseys. I thing I got one jersey that had ‘Ming’ on it. It was his first year, and they got his name wrong.

SLAM: Tell me about life on the road here, about traveling around with the team.

GA: Umm…[Long Pause] Let’s just say some hotels are better than others. [Laughs] You have your ups and your downs. But that’s what you expect coming here.

SLAM: What do you foresee for yourself and the Sharks in the future? This season’s nearly over, but looking forward…

GA: Everyone’s just gotta get better in the summer. Everyone has to do their part to make themselves better. If I’m back here next year, we have to come to the training camp with a mindset of trying to win it all. Right now, you know we have glimpses of being good, and glimpses of being bad. We have our ups and downs just like any team, but we need to get our consistency level higher, and along with that will come maturity. Most of the players in the team are quite young right now. They just need one of those real good summers of working hard.

SLAM: You’ve sort of had a mini-resurrection of your career over here in China. Even though you missed games with injury, just to see you on the court and playing big minutes, it’s a great thing for the fans.

GA: Yeah, you know, that’s all that it was about. Even this year, in the beginning, I was thinking when I got hurt that this has been going on for the last three years of my career. Some little ticky-tack injuries been keeping me out for long periods of time and I’m getting benched. So when Yao decided that he wasn’t going to cut me, he was going to keep me, I was like, Thank you Lord! I can’t wait ’til I get on the court to show that I can actually play at a high level. So I’m just happy that he gave me the opportunity.